Piracy Around the Seychelles

Created by sue. Last modified on 2009-05-14 21:51:22
Topic: Piracy
Countries: Seychelles

Report sent by Dominique, Wednesday 6 May

The situation has seriously deteriorated in the Seychelles archipelago during the last three weeks.

According to the EU coordination, the Seychelles are surrounded in a 150NM radius around Victoria in ALL directions. Somali mother-ships are pre-positioned North, South, East and West. The latest reported attacks were in the NE one day ago (Tuesday 5 May).

There is no longer any 100% safe exit/entry route. Several boats underway from the Chagos have already altered their course to Mauritius. More than 20 boats planning to sail to Madagascar and Mayotte have cancelled their passage.

On Monday afternoon (4 May) a mother ship and two skiffs were arrested by the Seychelles Navy near Marianne island, 35NM south-east of Victoria! Our own boat and another vessel doing a 90 degree route last Thursday was informed by the navy that one incident took place 50NM ahead of us. We decided to return to Mahe to assess the situation. The next morning, not only one attack were confirmed but two.

Apparently the mother-ships have ventured too far East because of the very quiet sea and have decided to operate far beyond their usual 400NM radius from the Somali coast. According to military inetlligence the pirates on their skiffs are abandonned on the high sea by the mother ships with one mission: catch a boat, this is your return ticket...

A coordination anti-piracy committee was created last Monday in Victoria by a group of 45 yachts and power vessels intending to travel.

The coordinator can be contacted on mydlec@gmail.com.